Implantable medical electronic devices may include pulse generators (e.g., implantable pulse generators) capable of generating electrical stimulation. Implantable medical electronic devices may also include an implantable lead or leads that are used to transmit the electrical impulse to the targeted tissues of a patient's body. Examples of these implantable medical devices include cardiac pacemakers, and a number of related applications for cardiac rhythm management, treatments for congestive heart failure, and implanted defibrillators. Other applications for implantable pulse generators include neurostimulation with a wide range of uses such as pain control, nervous tremor mitigation, incontinent treatment, epilepsy seizure reduction, vagus nerve stimulation for clinical depression, and the like.
Typically, the electrical stimulation generated by an implantable pulse generator is delivered through one or more electrodes located on the implantable lead. To ensure that the electrical stimulation is delivered to the correct body regions, the implantable lead needs to be affixed to the tissue to prevent the movement of the implantable lead (and its electrodes) after the healthcare professional is satisfied with the electrical stimulation delivery. For example, an anchoring device may be used to hold the implantable lead therein, and then the anchoring device may be sutured to a nearby body tissue. This may be referred to as “anchoring” the implantable lead.
However, existing anchoring devices and methods of anchoring the implantable lead still have certain shortcomings. For example, existing anchoring devices may not allow the healthcare professional (e.g., a surgeon who is positioning the lead) easy visual access to the implantable lead positioned within the anchoring device. As another example, although existing anchoring devices may offer different configurations where the implantable lead may be moved or locked, the healthcare professional may inadvertently cause the anchoring device to switch back and forth between these different configurations, which may be undesirable. As yet another example, in locking the implantable lead (to prevent the movement of the lead inside the anchoring device), existing anchoring devices may cause damage to the implantable lead.
Therefore, although existing systems and methods for anchoring implantable leads are generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects.